“Your Honour!”
Bellamy’s eyes swung steadily to the clamorous and distracted Lambert. “Please—I’d rather answer. I have told you already that I was not there, Mr. Farr. If I had been I would have given my life—gladly, believe me—to have prevented what happened.”
Farr turned a hotly incredulous countenance to Judge Carver’s impassive one. “Your Honour, I ask to have that stricken from the record as deliberately unresponsive.”
“It is not strictly responsive,” conceded His Honour dispassionately. “However, the Court feels that you had already received a responsive answer, so were apparently pressing for an elaboration. It may remain.”
“I defer to Your Honour’s opinion,” said Mr. Farr in a tone so far from deferential that His Honour regarded him somewhat fixedly. “Mr. Bellamy, what reason did Mrs. Ives give you for believing that Mr. Ives was at home?”
“She did not give me a reason; she gave me her word of honour.”
“You did not press her for one?”
“No; I considered her word better than any assurance that she——”
“Your Honour, I have repeatedly requested the witness to confine himself to yes and no. I ask with all deference to have the Court add its instructions to that effect.”
“Confine yourself to a direct answer whenever possible, Mr. Bellamy. You are not permitted to enter into explanations.”